May

Top via Local Honey, Pants via Pieceology Vintage, Zara Sandals, Belt via Charm School Vintage, Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Photos by Chelsea Laine Francis

Hello there! Happy May! It's hard to believe we are getting pretty close to being half way through 2016... and what a year it's been so far. I don't have any small goals set for May and come to think of it, I didn't have any for April either. Not my standard five monthly goals I usually share on this blog anyway... But I do have a little update for y'all!
 

Back in January before my dad was hospitalized I had all of these ideas, all of these things I wanted to accomplish this year and I'm not here to tell you that all of that has changed because it hasn't. I'm still working toward a lot of the goals I've set for myself this year. There are just a lot of new, unexpected things now that have been added. I've been editing and reevaluating what's priority and what isn't because I very simply have to. I realized not too long after my dad passed that I couldn't do everything anymore. It was too much, and to be honest, I felt kind of like a failure for not being able to juggle it all. But I've slowly let that go and accepted that it's perfectly OK that I can't. Then, a few weeks ago I made a decision to take a leave of absence from my 9-5 job to focus on taking care of my dad's estate. Although it was a very tough decisions, because like I said I really wanted to be able to do it all, I'm so glad that I made it. My stress levels have gone down significantly and I feel like I can breath just a little bit better.

For the next six weeks I'll be sorting things out the best I can while I have a little extra time. I'm so grateful that I could even do this because I know a lot of people can't. I have a plan put together, which consists of things like lots of meetings, lots of long phone calls, deciding what to do with my dad's homes, traveling back and forth from Austin to New Orleans, etc, etc. But, I also want to take some time to just be and try not worry about anything at all. Watch Netflix, lay in bed, read, rest, get a massage! Although the majority of this "break" will be spent making really hard decisions and continuing to confront a lot of grief and sadness, I also hope to give myself a little extra grace. Wish me luck.

P.S. This post had nothing to do with my outfit, but it's a great example of what not to wear while riding a bicycle. Or maybe it's exactly what you should wear. I'll let you decide.

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Dad

Hello friends. I've been trying to write this post for over a week now, and to be honest, every day it's gotten a little bit harder. My thoughts are jumbled and nothing is really making sense. How did we get here? Why did this happen? What do I do now? I wasn't ready for any of it. You can never be ready when you loose someone you love.

As some of you may or may not know, my dad passed away a few weeks ago. He was 54 years old. Part of me wants to tell you about how sad and overwhelmed I am but I want this post to be more than that. I want this post to be a celebration of my dad that I can come back to later on and smile at when I read it. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to write about my dad and the days we were able to spend here on Earth together and all the memories we created as father and daughter. Memories I'll have with me for the rest of my life.

My dad was honestly one of the most kind and genuine people I've ever known with never much bad to say about anything or anyone and although there were a lot of shitty things that happened to him throughout the years (Hurricane Katrina being one of those things) he always seemed to look on the bright side of life. He loved to tell stories to just about anyone even if you'd never met him before. That's just who my dad was. He felt like an old friend even if you didn't know him for more than a few minutes. He had all of those really good, rare qualities so many people don't have, but wish they did. All of that stuff came so naturally to him.

My parents divorced when I was a baby and a few years after that my mom and I moved to Texas. My dad lived in New Orleans my whole life so I'd go visit him there on holidays and in the summertime growing up. He'd take me fishing, take me to Saints football games, take me to his hunting camp out in the middle of nowhere. He even took me to Europe for the first time. We loved doing those things when we were able to spend time together. We made that time count.

Once I graduated from high school I moved back to Louisiana to go to college at LSU. I saw a lot more of my dad at that time in my life and I'm so grateful for those years when we lived just about an hour away from one another. Every year I would take all of my friends from school over to his house for Mardi Gras and he absolutely loved that. It made him so happy to have us all there. We were in his city enjoying it with him. These are probably the times I'll miss the most. Right now it makes me cry to think about it because I know we'll never have those times again but I'm so thankful that we ever even had them at all.

After I moved to Austin I didn't see as much of my dad anymore. I was living in a new city trying to figure out who I was and navigating life in my 20s. In the past couple years when I started going through harder times with my mental health I definitely stopped visiting New Orleans as often. I don't think I ever talked to my dad about what I was going through but I know he was happy I was living my life and was proud of me for doing my thing.

We had a conversation maybe a year ago while we were eating sushi at one of his favorite spots about his heart valve condition. I remember he played it off, said it wasn't a big deal. He'd need to get the valve replaced in about five years but it would be all OK and I believed him. My dad had a way of making things sound better than they really were. He was protecting me and I think he was also trying to protect himself. He didn't want to think too much about something that could be truly life threatening. I don't blame him for that. I don't blame him for anything.

In the last couple of months leading up to him passing I visited him in the hospital as much as I could. He was not well and I honestly didn't realize the severity of it all. Looking back at it now it's a lot clearer than when it was actually happening. When someone you love, your parent, the person who gave you the gift of life, is slipping away in front of you, you don't want to believe it and I didn't. I thought he would pull through. I was hopeful.

The first time I visited him in the hospital was back at the beginning of February soon after he was admitted. It was late, about 11PM. I walked in the room and he was sleeping. He woke a while later and I went over to his bed to say hello and hold his hand. He looked so scared. I'd never seen him like that. I could tell he did not want me to see him that way but he was still glad I was there with him. He looked at me and asked, "Have I been a good Dad?" and I said, "Of course you have, Dad. You don't have to ask me that. Of course you have." And it's true, he was a really great Dad.

Of course, I'll think about all the things he didn't get to do and the things we didn't get to do together but I'll also think of all the things he did get to do and all the things we did get to do together. I'll think of how he annoyed the crap out of me when he'd come in my room at 7am to wake me up to go get breakfast with him. I'll think of how aggravated I'd get when we'd talk on the phone and he'd keep asking me what I'd just said because he was so hard of hearing. I'll think of all the fun things we did like Saints games and Mardi Gras and our trip to Cabo and our boat rides along the Gulf. Those things will always make me smile.

Something that does give me comfort is knowing that he will always be with me. Watching over me. Keeping me safe. Leading me in the right direction. So thank you for that, Dad. I love you and I'm so glad I got to tell you that you were a good dad. I know I'll be seeing you again one day but until then I'll be out here making you proud. I promise.

Rest peacefully Paul Oscar Onebane.

March Small Goals: 2016

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Two days after I published my February goals I got a call that my dad had been rushed to the ICU in New Orleans where he lives and I needed to get there ASAP. I booked a flight right away and was in his hospital room by late that evening. That's pretty much how my February went. It's very difficult to maintain any kind of routine when you're going back and forth from a hospital every week. My priority in February was being there for my dad so I honestly didn't go too far out of my way to stick with some of these goals I set for myself. They just didn't feel all that important, you know? I did have a lot of time to think while I was at the hospital though so I feel good about what I did and didn't accomplish anyway.

My dad was admitted to the hospital in early February when doctors found a very severe bacterial infection around his aortic heart valve. There have been dozens and dozens of complications that have come up since then and to say it's been extremely heartbreaking would be an understatement. He is doing better right now and I'm confident he'll recovery from all of this, but he has a long road ahead, so I don't really know what this month will have in store for me. With that said, I still do have some things I'd like to accomplish in March but first let's see how I did in February.

1) Set up an Etsy shop for Pieceology Vintage.
This did not happen but I still plan on doing it soon. 
2) Find a prepared meals service I like. 
I decided last month that this isn't really a priority for me anymore. I'm trying to save money right now rather than spend it and prepared meals can be pretty expensive. 
3) Drink more water! 
Yep. I bought a nalgene bottle and am pretty happy with how I've been doing so far. 
4) Get blog posts done ahead of time. 
I did pretty good but I've also decided while everything is going on with my dad, instead of trying to ramp up to three posts a week I'll stick with two unless I feel I have the time for more. 
5) Slow down. 
Honestly, I was kind of forced into doing this. There is nothing about being in a hospital all day long that is slow or relaxing but I was kind of doing the same things everyday (wake up, day job, hospital, home, sleep, repeat) and wasn't super focused on blogging and Pieceology Vintage and being in Austin and doing all the things like I normally am. So in that regard, which was my intent with this goal, I do feel like I slowed things down.

Three out of five. Like I said, my dad was my main priority so I'm happy with the fact that I still accomplished some of these goals. With March's uncertainty because of my dad's condition I'm keeping things light. Here's what I've got.

Set up an Etsy shop for Pieceology Vintage. 
I will keep this on the list. I'd like to focus on this aspect of the shop this month.

Start taking biotin again. 
I've spent the last couple years nursing my hair back to health after a six month stint of bleaching it white but I still do a lot of heat damage to it. I'd like to start taking biotin again to strengthen my locks a bit more. I'm also hoping it'll help with growth and thickness! Any tips here??

Taxes.
I'd at least like to start doing them. Now that I have PVTG things will be slightly more complex than they've been in past years. Fun.

Spring cleaning. 
I have too many things. I'd like to do a very big closet clean out in March.

As you can see I only set four goals rather than five like I normally do. I honestly didn't think much about goal setting this month. My life has been very much day by day lately. Not a lot of planning going on. Please keep my family and especially my dad in your thoughts. We'll take all the good vibes we can get!

Oh yeah, and don't forget to link up with us over on Nicole's blog with your monthly goals post.

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February Small Goals: 2016

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Geez, am I glad January is over! I wanted last month to be a very productive one, and it was, but I also felt like 1) I was constantly playing catch up from my holiday break in December and 2) I definitely spread myself way too thin with a lot of different commitments I shouldn't have made, which really boils down to poor scheduling on my part which 3) Left me feeling extremely overwhelmed and stressed out. Whew! Aren't you kind of exhausted just from reading through those points?! Yeah, you and me both! Anyway, thankfully it's a new month and I'll take January as a good learning experience in my never-ending quest to better manage my time. With all that said, let's see how I did on my January goals.

1) Read a frekkin' book.
Done! I read Big Magic and I have to say I really loved it. It was an easy, relaxing read. I highly recommend it if you're in the business of wanting to live your most creative life! 
2) Become a better photographer.
Yes! I am now shooting in manual mode on my DSLR, which in the four years that I've had it, I've never been able to do before. If you're interested in learning how to better use your camera I'm sure if you google "photography classes" in your area you'll find one! I'm taking Photography 1 at The Austin School of Photography which is a six week course and I'm loving seeing my progress each week.
3) Set up an efficient system for maintaining the Pieceology Vintage site.
I spent a lot of time on this in January. I'm comfortable with the system I've decided on for now and I feel a lot less stressed about it after all the planning but I know this will be a constant work on progress and the site will continue to evolve as my business grows. 
4) Learn some sewing basics.
I've learning buttons and hems thanks to my girl Emma! Buttons were a bit challenging for me which I was kind of surprised about but I think I've got it down for the most part and I'd like to continue to learn more. I think there is a lot of value here since I run a business where I'm dealing with secondhand clothing all the time. 
5) Put together a workout schedule.
So, I did put a schedule together but I can't say I did a good job of following through with it like I thought I would. A lack of focus and some unforeseen challenges arose last month that kept me from my running. I do have to say I did go to yoga a good bit but now, to make up for the lost time, I really have to step up my running game before my 5K at the end of this month.

Five out of five. These goals were pretty ambitious so it feels really good to be able to say that I completed them all! Now, on to February!

Set up an Etsy shop for Pieceology Vintage.
This is something I've been thinking about for a while and after talking with Catelyn (check out her shop, it's amazing!) and my fellow vintage shop owner friends Moth Oddities (check out their shop, too, it's awesome!) I think it will be super beneficial for PVTG to have not only a beautiful website but also an Etsy shop. My hope is that this will be an additional channel for people to find me who otherwise might not.

Find a prepared meals service I like.
In an attempt to stick with one of my goals for this year which is to lead more healthy lifestyle I think prepared meals might help. I'm super busy these days and most nights I don't have time to cook (also, I honestly don't like cooking all that much) and lately I haven't even had much time to go to the grocery. This results in eating crap. If I can find a healthy prepared meals service that isn't extremely expensive it'll save me time and I'll be eating better food. Let me know if there's a place you recommend!

Drink more water!
I'm buying a Nalgene water bottle like tomorrow you guys! I'm so bad about drinking water. Admittedly, I don't usually drink much of anything during the day which is HORRIBLE. Now that I'm starting to run more I really need to make this a bigger priority, even though it always should be anyway.

Get blog posts done ahead of time.
Lately I've gotten in this terrible habit of working on my blog posts the night before they are going to be published. If I want to be posting more often (trying for three times per week) I need to get them all out of the way during the weekend or at the start of the week. Blog posts take up A LOT of time and I don't have the capacity anymore with everything else I have going on to spend almost every evening during the week working on them. Unless I want to stay up all night... which is not a good option.

Slow down.
Read the first paragraph of this post. I have to start being more intentional with where I am spending my time and how I am spending it. I ran myself ragged in January and I don't want that to become a pattern this year. Less random commitments, more focus time on the important stuff.

OK, that's it. Let's see if I can get five out of five again this month. I have hope! Don't forget to link up with us over on Nicole's blog with your monthly goals post, too.

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January Small Goals: 2016

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Did you think I'd forget about my small goals for the month?! No way! I know it's a bit late but I'm definitely going to continue to do these. A lot of people have been asking me what my resolutions and goals for the year are and honestly I don't really do that kind of goal setting anymore. But, if I had to sum up my goals for the year they'd probably involve my theme to "flourish" which I talked about in my blog post on Monday. Things like growing my business, growing my blog and another thing I'd like to focus on this year is leading a more healthy lifestyle. Anyway, small monthly goals are way more my jam, so let's jump on in and see how I did last month!

1) Solidify two events for Pieceology Vintage in January.
Nope. I only have one coming up this month but I do have a few others in the works for the upcoming months. It's been a challenge deciding want kinds of events I'd like to participate in but, trust me, I'm working on it.
2) Make time for Christmas shopping. 
Yep. I shopped small, local AND smart! Go me! I purchased gifts from Noonday Collection, Denik, Mitscoots, The Paper + Craft Pantry and The Gypsy Fawn.
3) Open a business bank account for the shop.
Sadly, no. Of course, it's ended up being more complicated than I thought it would be. I should be able to finish filing all the necessary paperwork soon and have the account set up by the end of this month.
 4) Start running again.
Done! I've been running once a week and I plan to up that to twice a week this month. I even signed up for my 5k which will be at the end of February!
5) Think about where I want to take this blog in the new year. 
I did think about this. A LOT. I've decided to stick with the blog in 2016. It's going to start with getting back to creating an editorial calendar each month. Here are some things you can expect to see a lot more of on the blog this year: DIYs, thrifting/vintage hunting tips, collaborations with other bloggers and cool brands, and lots more outfit posts. I'm even thinking of doing a site redesign...

Three out of five. Same as last month. The holidays definitely threw me off with the ones I missed. I ended up taking a lot of time to relax during the Christmas/New Year break and honestly, I needed it. But, it's January and vacation time is over so I'm ready to dive back in! Let's see what I've decided to tackle during this first month of 2016.

Read a frekkin' book.
OK, I know I said I wasn't going to do book goals anymore but I really, really want to read a book this month. I got the hardcover of Big Magic as a Christmas gift so I'll probably go for that one. Plus, I've heard it's one of those 'can't put it down' types so I'm hopeful.

Become a better photographer.
So, I'm taking a photography class for six weeks starting next Monday, but my actual goal here is to really take what I learn from the class and use it. I plan on taking my DSLR pretty much everywhere with me in January. I hope to see at least a small improvement in my work by the end of the month.

Set up an efficient system for maintaining the Pieceology Vintage site.
 Now that the web shop is live I need to sit down and come up with a solid system for keeping it as up to date as possible. When an item sells I need to have another, photographed on a model and on it's own, already on deck to replace it. Easier said than done...

Learn some sewing basics.
Now that Pieceology Vintage is officially in business I'm learning I need a lot of skills I don't necessarily have. Photography being one of them, but also sewing! I find a lot of really great pieces with missing buttons, ripped seams, frayed hems, etc. that I don't want to pass up just because I don't know how to sew.
   
Put together a workout schedule.
Last year, although it wasn't a priority, I didn't workout much at all. This year I want to change that. I think putting together a schedule for doing my workouts on certain days may help. I've already incorporated running but I need to also add a yoga class or two into my week.

Alright, let's do this January! And don't forget to link up with us over on Nicole's blog if you want to share your monthly goals as well.

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December Small Goals: 2015

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Happy Thursday! It's a new month so that means it's time for some new small goals. Let's get into it straight away and see how I did in November!

1) Do another juice cleanse.
Done! I actually forgot about this one until the week before Thanksgiving... so I did it the week before Thanksgiving which turned out great. A nice cleanse before I ate A LOT over the holiday!
2) Start reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Nope. I've only been doing my small goals posts for a couple months but I'm already making it a rule that I can't have anymore book goals. I'm just way to busy right now.
3) Plan a fun vacation for December.
Yes! I'm going to California in a few weeks to visit my friend Gina who I met while in Italy over the summer. So excited for some relaxation time on the coast. And maybe even a little thrifting... (OK, maybe a lot of thrifting!)
4) Learn Squarespace.
I'm learning! The Pieceology Vintage web site will be launching next week. It's been pretty stressful but for the most part Squarespace is really user friendly and they offer great customer support.
5) Reach out to at least one potential blog sponsor.
I haven't done this one either. Although I have been thinking a lot about what direction I want to take this blog in come the new year. Stay tuned for that!

Three out of five. Eh, not great, but the goals I didn't get accomplished I still feel like I got something out of actually writing them down. They were on my mind so that's better than nothing! And now onto December...

Solidify two events for Pieceology Vintage in January.
I would like to try to do at least two pop-up events each month for PVTG. I have a few things in mind, just need to get in touch with the people in charge!

Make time for Christmas shopping.
After my pop-up on the 13th I should have a sec to get some holiday gifts for friends and family. And speaking of holiday gifts, Chelsea put together the most wonderful holiday gifting good guide and PVTG is a part of it! It's all about shopping consciously and supporting small businesses, y'all! So good. I'm already eyeing so many things from it!

Open a business bank account for the shop.
I was putting this off but I think it needs to be done sooner rather than later. I'll be happy I did it so early on once tax time comes around!

Start running again.
So I think I'm going to be doing a 5k in February! I know it's not much but I still need to start preparing now. I'm super rusty. I haven't ran in almost two years! But in the new year I'm going to try a lot harder to commit to doing my body good.

Think about where I want to take this blog in the new year.
I mentioned this above, but I really feel like I'm starting to get a clearer picture in my mind of how I want to evolve this blog next year. There was a moment this month where I even thought about giving it up and focusing all my energy on PVTG. I'm not sure if that's the answer but I'm definitely going to spend some time this month thinking about my next steps.

Wish me luck! And don't forget to link up with us over on Nicole's blog if you want to share your monthly goals as well.

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Weekly Update #7

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis
from the Pieceology Vintage Fall/Winter 2015 Lookbook

Hello there! It's Friday again. I got some photos back this week from Chelsea of the PVTG lookbook shoot we did a couple weekends ago and I think this silly little one is my favorite so far. It's one of the coolest things ever seeing your vision come to life. I had the best time taking the collection I've curated and styling it up on some bad ass models (AKA my friends). The results were so worth the process. And don't worry, I'll be sharing more photos soon, so stay tuned. Now let's see what I got up to this week.

1) feeling proud and inspired by my awesome friends
2) realizing I need a break every now and then to Netflix and chill (did it!)
3) preparing to head home to Louisiana for Thanksgiving
4) accepting that everything will turn out the way it should
5) figuring out how to not take things so personally because everything is not about me
6) understanding that a vacation may not happen because I may not have the funds for it right now
7) remembering that vulnerability is the birth place of creativity and change (thanks to Brene Brown)
8) doing a juice cleanse because I'm crazy (I want a burger and a cupcake and some coffee SO bad)
9) trying to get more sleep but failing due to thunderstorms and, you guessed it, stress
10) getting excited to work on the PVTG web site this weekend

What were you up to this week? Have a great weekend, y'all!

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Weekly Update #6

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis
from the Pieceology Vintage Fall/Winter 2015 Lookbook Shoot

What a week! There was Fun Fun Fun Fest which was absolutely wonderful. My lookbook shoot for PVTG which turned out amazing and I can't wait to share the photos with you. Then I helped my friend Pei with the opening of her studio The Paper + Craft Pantry which has been super successful. Now it's time for a weekend full of getting back on track with planning the PVTG pop-up event in December! On top of all that let's see what else I was up to this past week...

1) feeling so many emotions with all the big things that went on this week
2) realizing I'm really good at delegating and taking charge in a time crunch
3) preparing for the Pieceology Vintage Lookbook shoot and The Paper + Craft Pantry opening week
4) accepting that some people may never learn the things you hope they will
5) understanding that it's not my responsibility to please everyone
6) planning out my month in preparation for my pop-up which is exactly one month from today
7) listening to this song over and over and over again the past couple days
8) dancing around my house to shake off some strange emotions that popped back up this weekend
9) getting excited about all the possibilities in the next month with PVTG and just life in general

What were you up to this week? Have a great weekend, y'all!  

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An Interview with me

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Earlier this week I filled y'all in on some details about my side project, AKA my new night time job, Pieceology Vintage. But, as some of you know, in addition PVTG I do have a full time day job in Marketing. Each month at said job there is a company newsletter that is emailed out to all employees. In the newsletter one employee is interviewed and featured each month. We have over 300 employees so to be chosen as the featured employee is pretty rare. But alas, this month it was finally my turn! This is a pretty basic interview but I thought it'd be fun to share with my blog readers so y'all can get to know me a little bit better. So, without further ado, here is my interview:

Name: April Onebane

Current City of Residence: Austin

Nickname: Fancy, Fancy Pants, Ape, Apy, Ape Face

Place of Birth: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

School/College/Degree: Louisiana State University, Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Advertising and a minor in Business

Family (including pets and names): Just me! No spouse, kids, or pets. I have two roommates who sometimes feel like my children!

Hobbies/What do you like to do in your free time?: I love to travel, blog, take photos, spend time with friends, attend music events, go thrift shopping/vintage hunting, explore new restaurants (because, food), drink coffee (and wine), listen to podcasts, practice yoga and ride my bike!

Pet peeve(s): When people wear their ponytail holder around their wrist. Also, when people aren't present during a conversation.

Favorite Movie/TV Show: Movie- Almost Famous, TV Show(s)- Mad Men, Girls, Parenthood, House of Cards (although I don't watch much TV anymore)

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?: A doctor which is SO far from anything I would ever want to be nowadays.

Favorite Superhero/desired superpower: I'm not a big superhero fan but I would love to be able to travel at the speed of light so I could explore all over the world quickly, efficiently and for free.

Fun fact/funny story about you: I'm very short. I topped off at 4'11 at the age of 12. Yes, I have not grown since I was 12 years old. I think I've actually shrunk a little bit.

Favorite sports team: The New Orleans Saints. Who Dat?!

Role model: My grandparents are pretty rad.

Favorite food: It's a tie between pepperoni pizza and sushi.

Favorite restaurant: That's an impossible question to answer! I LOVE food. But if I had to say, it'd be Jacques-Imo's in New Orleans and Salty Sow in Austin.

Where would you go in a time machine (could be past or future)?: Woodstock '69

Who would play you in a movie about your life?: Even though it wouldn't work out age-wise I'd say Julia Roberts.

If you could invite four people to dinner, who would they be?: Woody Allen, Iris Apfel, Brené Brown and Paul McCartney

Favorite quote: "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

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Weekly Update #5

The French Quarter in Nola... in the rain.

So the weather has been just about the worst this past week! Austin was a flooding mess and Voodoo Fest in Nola even got cancelled on the last day because of all the rain. And now it's supposed to be raining again this weekend... I'm hoping it holds off because I've got all kinds of fun things going on today, Saturday and Sunday! But enough about the silly weather. Here's what I've been up to this week.

1) feeling sick after being in the rain all weekend
2) realizing some telling things about certain relationships in my life
 3) preparing for a special photoshoot this weekend (more details coming soon)
4) accepting that I'm going to make mistakes along the way
5) understanding that it's OK to make said mistakes as long as I try to learn from them
6) planning some exciting collaborations to come in the next weeks (stay tuned!)
7) listening to music while working to get me through these gloomy days we've been having
8) reminding myself to be grateful for all the wonderful, supportive people I have in my corner
9) finding myself in several different interesting situations I never thought I'd end up in
10) getting excited for my fave festival this weekend, Fun Fun Fun Fest

What were you up to this week? Have a great weekend, y'all! 

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November Small Goals: 2015

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Damn, y'all. I can't believe it's already November. This year has flown by! And the beginning of a new month means it's time for a new set of small goals. But first let's see how I did with my October goals...

1) Finish reading Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari.
Nope. I really am enjoying this book but I just haven't had as much time to read as I thought I would. I still have about 100 pages left.
2) Have a thrifting day at a few Goodwills/Savers in town.
Done. I went to several shops while in Nashville and Nicole took me to a few awesome places around Austin as well. Got some great stuff.
3) Get back to practicing yoga.
 Done. I went a few times. I still want to try to go more often. This will be an ongoing goal for me.
4) Clean out my closet.
Done. I got rid of so much stuff and now I have so many more hangers to work with!
5) Schedule and go to a dentist appointment.
Done. I really didn't feel like doing this but I did it and I'm so glad I got it out of the way. No cavities either.

Four out of five. Not bad for my first go round! And now onto November...

Do another juice cleanse.
I've done a few juice cleanses in the past couple years and I actually really enjoy them. I always feel so great after I'm done. And especially after Nashville and New Orleans my body needs some serious TLC.

Start reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
After listening to The Lively Show interview with Gilbert, which you should totally go listen to if you have yet, I can't wait to start this book.

Plan a fun vacation for December.
Preferably somewhere tropical but any fun destination will do. I'm going to need a little break after a crazy November!

Learn Squarespace.
This is kind of already in process but I haven't dove in too far yet. I'm super excited to learn how this platform works.

Reach out to at least one potential blog sponsor.
Lately I feel like I've been so busy that my blog has kind of been put on the back burner which I don't like. I love this little corner of the internet I've created and I want to put more effort into it.

I'd say these are pretty attainable. I have SO MUCH going on in November so I didn't want to lay it on too thick this month. But even still, I think these are great, intentional goals for myself. Don't forget to link up with us over at Nicole's blog if you want to share your monthly goals as well!

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Weekly Update #4

So, it was a slow week in the blogosphere for me. But don't fret, I have some really great stuff coming up in the next couple weeks to share with you. In the meantime, here's what I've been up to this week.

1) feeling burnt out and like I've been stretching myself a little too thin lately
2) realizing Tuesday that I really needed to take a break... so I did
3) playing dress up with friends in preparation for a little (er, big) project I'm working on
4) accepting that things will play out the way they should so I don't need stress about them
5) realizing that I definitely need a day off of work (and soon) for some much needed r&r
6) planning some really fun events with some super creative ladies and enjoying the hell out of it
7) laughing a lot because laughing is often times the best medicine for pretty much anything
8) getting excited for Halloween/Voodoo Fest in New Orleans next weekend

What were you up to this week? Have a great weekend, y'all!

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To Do in Nashville, TN

As you may have known I went to Nashville last weekend for a friend's wedding. What you may not have known was that I fell in love while I was there... With Nashville, of course. Don't be getting any ideas, y'all. I'm not quite that impulsive (smirk face emoji). Anyway, I spent about five days there and did a lot so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite spots from my new favorite city with you!

for breakfast.
Barista Parlor - I had THE BEST sausage biscuit with jelly at this place. They also have amazing coffee (that vanilla latte, though) plus the atmosphere is great and the music is on point. They played the entire Lord Huron Lonesome Dreams album and I just about couldn't.

for lunch.
Hattie B's Hot Chicken - Apparently Nashville is kinda famous for this thing called hot chicken. I'd actually never heard of it until recently but it's basically fried chicken made at varying degrees of spiciness- mild, medium, hot or extra hot. I got the hot because I'm from Louisiana and I can handle it. And I did. No problem. And y'all, it was real real good.

for dinner.
Urban Grub - This is supposedly a locals favorite. Our server was superb and my oysters and salmon were wonderful. Plus they had blue cheese olives. There's nothing better than that. And for dessert... vanilla bean donuts that literally melt in your mouth. So maybe I take back that statement about the olives. There is pretty much nothing better than vanilla bean donuts with bacon toffee cream cheese ice cream on top. Yes, you read that right.

for a treat.
Las Paletas - Who doesn't love Popsicles?? They literally have every flavor you could imagine. I got raspberry lime. It was delicious. Plus this place is on 12th Avenue South which is a super cool strip in town featuring lots of restaurants, bars, shopping and even a quiet park for lounging after a long day of exploring the city.

for drinks.
The Patterson House - I'd classify this place as sort of a modern day speak easy. It's one of those extra cool places where the bartenders are called mixologists and I'm all about it because I probably had one of the best cocktails I've ever had here. A real fancy take on a traditional Pimm's Cup and I drank it in about 20 seconds. They only have a limited amount of seating and you have to put your name down and wait a bit but it's totally worth it. Once you are inside it's not too crowded, not too loud. Just right for a mellow evening with friends.

for gifts.
White's Mercantile - This was by far my favorite spot I went to during my trip. Not only did they have really awesome gifts from lots of local brands, but on the day I was there they happened to be having a special pop-up event going on. Nashville based t-shirt company Y'allsome (great name!) was out front selling their merch plus there were free drinks and free live music. AND the Hattie B's Hot Chicken food trailer was there. It was the best event I've accidentally stumbled upon, like ever.

for jeans.
 imogene + willie - I've heard a lot about this shop around the instagram world so I had to go check it out. They are best know for their very high quality denim. And yes, I bought a pair. Jeans are a staple piece in my opinion so I usually will spend the extra money on them and these are definitely worth the larger price tag.

for shopping.
Pre To Post Modern Vintage - I did a good bit of shopping in Nashville and this pretty vintage shop was my favorite. The vintage clothing was very well selected and the prices were great. Nothing was over $25. They also had great mid-century modern furniture. There were a few pieces I was so tempted to snag if it weren't for the fact that I didn't have a good way to get them home!

for a haircut.
Local Honey - Yes, I'm fancy and decided to randomly get a haircut when I was there. My roommate and I were working at the Barista Parlor and saw this salon across the way. I first noticed from outside the window that there were clothes hanging in inside... vintage clothes. So, naturally I had to go in and check it out. When I went inside I realized it was not only a vintage clothing store (great vintage at great prices BTW) but it was also a hair salon. I REALLY needed a trim and since I had a wedding in a couple days... I figured why not?! I got an awesome wash, trim, and style! Plus bought some real cute vintage. Win, win.

for fun.
Pinewood Social - I have to be honest, I didn't actually get to go here but literally everyone I asked about Nashville recommended it so I couldn't leave it out. It's a restaurant, bar, bowling alley, pool hall. It seems to have a little bit of everything for pretty much anyone to enjoy. It's definitely on my list for next time and I'll jump on the bandwagon and say you should check it out too!

Have you ever been to Nashville? What have you done that I may have missed but should check out? I'm definitely going back and hopefully soon. I loved it so much!

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Weekly Update #3

Running around my Malasaña neighborhood in Madrid last month!

Hello! My posts normally publish much earlier but life happens and I wasn't able to work on the blog as much as I would have liked this week so you're getting a late one today! Hope that's OK with you. I really wanted to get a weekly update out. I think it's something y'all are enjoying so I'm going to try to continue to do it. Thanks for being interested in my silly/crazy life.

1) feeling tired but also better balanced than last week
2) accepting that there are never going to be enough hours in the week
3) learning how to better utilize my time because said hours will just have to do I guess
4) thinking of all the stuff I have to do in the next weeks and not letting myself get too overwhelmed
5) getting packages in the mail that make me very excited but also aware that I have so much to do
6) understanding that I need to relax and trust people rather than question them
7) finding myself daydreaming back to my days abroad and missing my European adventures terribly
8) lusting after cooler temps but at the same time yearning for a trip somewhere tropical

What were you up to this week? Have a great weekend, y'all!

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5 Habits to Better Utilize Your Time

How many times in, let's say a week, do you exclaim to yourself or someone else (or something else, if that's how you roll, I'm not judging), "I need more hours in my day!"? Well, if you are anything like me you probably say this quite a bit. Lately I've been feeling this way even more than usual. Maybe more than ever before. With a full time job, this blog, a side project, my social life (which I'm trying not to lose!), and taking care of my body and mind, plus all the traveling I've been doing I really can't seem to find the time to get everything done. So, in the past month I've started to adopt some new habits that are helping me better manage my time and I think they might help you too.

1) use a planner
Last month, after months of searching, I found the perfect planner. The large 17-month florabunda agenda from ban.do (which is sadly sold out, but here's the smaller version). It's big, it has lots of space for notes, a full month calendar, but also a weekly calendar so I have more space to plan out my days. Plus it came with stickers and has lots of really cute illustrations throughout. I've also had friends who recommend the Day Designer planner and this one is pretty fun as well. But, regardless of what kind you get the important thing is that you have something to help you plan out your busy days in an organized manner. Which brings me to habit #2.

2) create a schedule
In my trusty bando planner I'm able to set up a schedule for my weeks. I usually write down my schedule a week at a time so I'm not planning too far ahead for things that are probably daily tasks, like paying bills, emailing people back, or looking for a new mirror on Craigslist (yes, these are actually random things I need to do this week). Unless of course there are bigger things I know I need to get done later on or a big meeting coming up, then I'll go ahead and pencil it in. And don't get me wrong, I love a good list, but rather than just writing things down on a post-it, having those tasks as part of your schedule and intentionally setting days to accomplish certain items on said list is much more efficient. Also, scheduling serves as a great reminder to actually get done what needs to be done.

3) set some goals
I've never really been much of a goal-setter but thanks to Nicole and Pei I'm really starting to find so much value in intentionally setting and writing down my goals rather than just saying them out loud or thinking them to myself. I even started blogging monthly goals this month and am going to continue to do so. It's fun for me to have them written down somewhere so I'm better able to hold myself accountable to them. And there is definitely no limit to what kind of goals you can set. They can be small, medium, big, or gigantic and they can span from one day, to a week, a month, a year, or 5 years. Whatever you want. Just set them!

4) don't over-commit
Or as I like to call it, learn to say NO. I have to admit I have always had a difficult time doing this and I'm still very much struggling with it. I never want to miss out. FOMO is a real thing y'all and I got it bad. But honestly, lately I've really been trying harder to make sure I'm not doing all the things. The habits I've mentioned so far are helping me become better at this. Since I have a schedule in place and I know the goals I want to accomplish it's easier for me to know when I just can't attend that event or go out to brunch with friends. I know it hurts to say no to brunch but sometimes you just gotta do it. Life is real rough sometimes friends.

5) take a day
This is something that a lot of my girlfriends are really good at but I'm definitely not. I never take days to just do my own thing. Chelsea has recently decided to take one day a week to not work and I think that's super valuable. Having a day off helps all of our on days feel a little less exhausting. It's a day to look forward to and a day to recharge those giant batteries you've been overusing all week. Don't let those batteries die y'all. Give them a break from time to time!

I know these may seem super micromanage-y and uptight but they really do help me feel more at ease and pleased with my weeks. So I hope they will help you feel the same way because who doesn't want to feel better about each week. We only live once y'all... so we may as well use our time wisely!

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Weekly Update #2

Happy Friday! I'm coming to you from Nashville right now! I'm in town for a friends wedding and am so excited about it. It's been a crazy past couple weeks with lots of work, work, work so I'm happy to have a fun weekend away. Anyway, let's get into what I've been up to lately.

1) feeling a little overwhelmed and uneasy

2) accepting that I'm super hormonal this week

3) thinking about friendships new and old and what they really mean to me

4) making lots of plans but not having enough time to follow through with as much as I would like

5) scheduling out the month of October but I'm only half way done with it because... see #1

6) understanding that I need to not take things so personally but still finding it hard to do

7) working on living in the moment rather than thinking too far into the future

8) enjoying my weekend in Nashville relaxing and having a good time with friends

What were you up to this week?

P.S. Me and all my #sisterhoodXmarfa ladies are featured on Lady ATX Mag today. Go take a look at the post to find out what the trip meant to each of us and also to see some beautiful photos Chelsea took along the way!

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October Small Goals: 2015

Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Happy October! October is one of my favorite months so to celebrate its arrival I've decided to do my very first goals post... Or at least my first ever goals post that has some sort of structure and will become a monthly thing around here. Nicole does a small goals post each month and I always look forward to reading. Last month she encouraged her readers to link up with her and share their goals as well so I decided to give it a shot!

I have a lot planned for this month. A trip to Nashville for a wedding and also a trip to New Orleans for Voodoo Fest. And then there's that project I keep hinting at that I can't really talk about yet which has got me super busy... but more on that come November, I promise!

So, mainly because of said project, I have a bunch of very large goals for October but that's not what this post is about. It's supposed to be about small, easily attainable goals, right?! I guess it can really be whatever I want it to be so that's what I'll go with. So, without further ado, here are my October small goals.

Finish reading Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari.

I think I'm about half way through and my friends and I are having a book club meet up at the beginning of November to discuss it so I really need to get this one done anyway. With my two trips this month I think I'll have plenty time to read while I'm in route. I'm loving it so far.

Have a thrifting day at a few Goodwills/Savers in town.

I've been wanting to do this for a long time. My love for vintage clothing has been on a steady incline for pretty much my whole life so I need to get back into this habit. I used to be really into Goodwill in college but have gotten away from it in the past few years. Plus it sure wouldn't hurt to save a little more money when buying clothes! 

Get back to practicing yoga.

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I haven't gone to yoga since before I went to Europe. So if you do the math... well actually don't do the math. It's not important. I'm going at least a few times this month! 

Clean out my closet.

I have this rule where once I've run out of spare hangers, instead of just going and buying more, I like to do a closet purge. Well, I've run out of hangers. It's time. And it's about that time to make room for fun new winter clothes anyway. 

Schedule and go to a dentist appointment.

I know this is boring but I really need to do this and I keep putting it off. Mainly because I don't have a dentist in Austin yet. I always go back to Louisiana for appointments. But I've been in Austin for over three years now. I may as well get one here. This was one of the only things I didn't do that I had on a long list of "to-dos" before I left for Europe so maybe if I put it here I will actually remember and finally get it done.

Yay! I'm really looking forward to holding myself accountable for these. I got this! What are some of your small goals? And again, if you are interested in sharing your blog post head over to Nicole's blog to link up with us.

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Weekly Update #1

I really love reading Chelsea's blog. A lot of the time she kind of just writes what she's feeling and then presses publish. Like she's letting us have a sneak peek inside her personal diary. I appreciate that so much and I feel like I don't do that sort of thing enough around here. So here are some things I've been doing/thinking/feeling this past week. Maybe I'll make this an every Friday kind of thing...

Have a great weekend, y'all!

1) feeling happy and productive and excited and passionate but also very, very small (in a good way)

2) realizing I haven't sat at home and chilled with a glass of wine since I've been back from Europe
(I'm currently doing this right now as I'm writing this post because it needed to happen)

3) thinking about how I can stay connected with people in my life that aren't in my Austin bubble

4) making fun weekend plans with my gfs like out of town thrifting and tandem kayaking (what??)

5) scheduling meetings with creative ladies for a pretty big project I'm working on
6) understanding I really need to go to the grocery but it's my least favorite thing so I'm avoiding it
7) trying to write and then respond to lots of emails in a timely manner (keyword: trying)
8) working on not letting my past take away from the good things that are coming in my future
9) reflecting on the goodness and relaxation of being in Marfa with my friends
10) allowing myself to be overwhelmed and work it out rather than let it shut me down

What were you up to this week?

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#SisterhoodXMarfa: Creative Ladies Road Trip Across Texas

 Images via #sisterhoodxmarfa

Let's discuss Marfa, shall we? What happens when you put six women in a Chevy Tahoe with A LOT of luggage, A LOT of snacks, and have them drive seven hours across the state of Texas? Well, first of all, lots of laughter and excitement, but also moments of anxiety and even tension. We are a bunch of ladies in a small confined space, cut us some slack OK?! But, damn y'all, it was fun. Unlike any other trip I've ever been on. I've never gone on a vacation where the intent was to hang with creative friends, bounce ideas off each other, take lots of photos and do all the "silly things" I like to do with other people who like to do the same "silly things" as me.

I've been thinking about friendship a lot in the last couple weeks since I've been back from Europe. I am super lucky to have an amazing group of friends who are all so different from one another which I think is a huge reason why we all work so well as a unit. Y'all know who you are (and thank you for reading my blog Annie, Michelle, Laura, etc, etc). But, for a long time I've been searching for a group of friends who share my same passions. I can now say that I have found that group... the group I went to Marfa with. Yes, of course we are also all very different but we share a special common ground. We are working toward the same goals. We are bloggers, makers, small business owners, photographers and super stylish, badass bishes (yes, I'm old and I know people don't say "bishes" anymore)! Each women is so inspiring to me and I am a better, happier person because of them. I love each of you and I am so happy that after a long weekend away we are all back in the same city and get to hang out even more!

I know this post is already pretty sappy, but here's just a little more sap for ya. This last year has been one of the roughest years of my life. Maybe the roughest yet. I started seeing my therapist almost one year ago to this date. I've talked about that decision before and how I felt so low at the time that I didn't know what else to do. The journey from then to now has been all over the place and at times it felt like this last year went on for an eternity. But here I am, one full year later and I'm so freakin' proud of myself. I've done so many things that the younger April would have honestly probably laughed at (I was kind of an asshole growing up). I started therapy, I vowed to travel more, I planned a solo trip to Europe then went on that trip for six weeks, I reached out to new friends (like Chelsea and Nicole), I dedicated more time to this blog, I got to know myself, I stood up for my feelings and followed my heart. And there are some other things I'm in the process of doing that I can't talk about just yet, but they are big, huge, scary, awesome things that I thought I'd never do. But I'm doin' 'em! 

So thank you Chelsea, Katie, Nicole, Pei and Stephanie, my Marfa ladies. Thank you for playing a huge part in pulling me out of a dark place. Thank you for being my friends, my cheerleaders, my confidants and thank you for being my sisters. Without y'all I don't know if I would have found the confidence to be doing all the things I'm doing now. Y'all are all rockstars and I am so excited to watch you continue to kill it individually but I'm also so stoked to grow in life together!

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European Vacation 2015: Intentions

 Photo by Chelsea Laine Francis

Lately I've been preoccupied with a lot of different things and as a result I've put taking care of myself on the back-burner. Planning this Europe trip has been time-consuming, and although it's been exciting it's all been very stressful. Lots of errands, appointments, late nights booking flights/rooms/trains, hours spent trying to find the "right" place to stay, staring at the train booking web site feeling completely overwhelmed. A few nights ago I booked a train for the wrong day and I still haven't figured out how I'm going to get my money back (no, they don't have an e-mail address)! All these little things, plus other life events, have pretty much overtaken and my self-care has gone out the window.

So this brings me to now. It's two weeks before I leave for my trip... Some people say not to have any expectations while traveling, and I do agree with that mindset, so instead I'd like to take a different approach and set some intentions for while I'm abroad. Things to keep in mind, if you will. I'm one of those people that if I don't write it down I will forget.

Self-reflection

Many people travel to see the sites. Go to as many attractions as possible. I want to do this too, but more importantly for me this trip is about reflection. I'm definitely in an interesting place in my life right now. I'm on the fence about a lot of things, not sure where I want to go and who I want to be. I believe removing myself from my comfort zone will help me find some clarity. 

Meditation

Something I started doing when I was going to therapy but lately I haven't been doing it at all. I think meditation is a wonderful thing but I haven't even scratched the surface of being even remotely a little bit good at it. I have the Mindful app but I've been hearing a lot of great things about Headspace so I'll probably look into getting that. Anyone use it? 

Relax

I'm going to be in Europe away from all my friends, family, from all the expectations. I can finally let go of all those responsibilities (besides work) and just be. I get really bad FOMO living in Austin and now I won't really have any choice so I'm looking forward to not worrying about everything that's going on back home and just relaxing and enjoying myself... and the view. 

Carpe Diem

Seize the day. Take advantage of my time. See as much as I can. Explore. Walk around. Take tours. Eat. Drink. Laugh. Have fun. 

Exercise

I'm going to see if I can find a yoga studio or somewhere to practice outdoors while I'm in Florence. How fun would it be to take a yoga class in a foreign country where you don't speak the same language as your instructor?? Well, maybe that sounds sort of stressful... but it could be fun! Like I said, Carpe Diem! Plus I'll be doing lots of walking. I might even look into renting a bike for the month. 

Be Open

Keeping an open mind. I'm going to be in a foreign country alone and I'm sure I'll meet lots of people along the way and be exposed to so many different, places, foods, belief systems, personalities. I want to embrace it all.

 These intentions don't just have to be for when I'm traveling. These are all things I would love to remind myself  to practice in my daily life. So, I hope you find these helpful, because I think we could all use a little more of intention in our lives. What are some of the intentions you try to live by on a day-to-day basis?

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